Support for bridges of overhead traveling cranes



May 5, 1959 A. MAZZOLA ETAL 2,384,371

SUPPORT F OR BRIDGES OF OVERHEAD TRAVELING CRANES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 27, 1954 a 2 8 M a 5 1 1 1 A JWWWW m EY H "H n W w M/ m WM a n X g 8 Mo 1 6% I 2 2 fiw T Z J d l l l I l| w $4-5 1 5 SUPPORT FOR BRIDGES OF OVERHEAD TRAVELING CRANE-S Filed Dec. 27, 1954 May 5, 1959 A. MAZZOLA ETAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 yaw SUPPORT FOR BRIDGES F OVERHEAD TRAVELING CRANES Ambrose Mazzola, Temple City, and Vermont V. Mappin, West Covina, Calif said Mappin assignor to Calabar Corporation, South Gate, Calih, a corporation of California Application December 27, 1954, Serial No. 477,808 11 Claims. (Cl. 105-148) This invention relates to overhead traveling cranes and, more particularly, to a universal and expansible support for overhead traveling cranes.

Overhead traveling cranes fall into two broad categories, that is, underslung or suspended overhead traveling cranes, and top riding overhead traveling cranes. In disclosing the structure and mode of operation of our invention, it will be discussed as embodied in an underslung overhead traveling crane but it is, of course, not intended that those principles of the invention which are applicable to both types of overhead traveling cranes be limited solely to the underslung type.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, conventional overhead traveling crane installations usually in clude laterally spaced supporting rails upon which are engaged supporting members for the transversely oriented bridge structure extending between said supporting rails. in most installations, the lengths of the rails are substantial and, due to inevitable variations in the installation of said rails, there are differences in the spacing of the rails with respect to each other.

For instance, an individual rail may be slightly bowed or slightly cocked inwardly or outwardly. Attempts have been made in the prior art to overcome such discrepancies in the mounting of the supporting rails for overhead traveling cranes by suspending the rails from ball joint hangers which, to an extent, permit slight inward or outward movement of the rails with respect to each other as the crane bridge moves across the rails from one end to the other thereof. However, such prior art expedients are not utilizable in all applications and where inequality in the bracing of the supporting rails is encountered, undue loads are placed upon the transversely oriented bridge and the supporting means therefor disposed in engagement with said rails.

It is, therefore, an object of our invention to provide an overhead traveling crane wherein the supporting means engaging the supporting rails and the transversely oriented bridge of the crane are connected by universal joint means which permits the movement of the transversely oriented bridge structure of the crane with reference to the supporting means therefor to accommodate inequalities in the spacing of the supporting rails or inequalities in the rails themselves.

Another object of our invention is the provision of universal joint supporting means for the bridge structure of the aforementioned traveling crane which is constituted by ball and socket joint means disposed in operative relationship with the supporting means and adapted to mount the opposite ends of the bridge structure on said supporting means so that, by rotational movement of the ends of the bridge structure through said ball and socket joint, the variations in the spacing of the supporting rails and variations in the shape of the supporting rails will be automatically accommodated by relative movement between the ends of the transversely oriented bridge structure and their respective supporting means.

Of course, in most overhead traveling crane construcnited States Patent 0 2,884,871 Patented May 5, 1959 ice tions there is occasionally encountered a wide discrepancy in the location of the supporting rails and in conventional traveling crane constructions tremendous loads are imposed upon both the rails and their supports because of the inflexibility of the bridge structure supported upon said rails. Of course, the bridge structure is also subjected to undue loads when such wide variations in the location of the supporting rails are encountered.

Another object of our invention is the provision of an overhead traveling crane wherein the bridge structure is mounted upon supporting means engaging the supporting rails for said crane and wherein expansion joint means is provided between one end of the bridge structure and its respective supporting means to permit relative longitudinal movement between the supporting means and said one end of the bridge structure to take place in order that wide variations in the spacing of the supporting rails may be accommodated and undue loads frequently imposed upon the rails and bridge structure in conventional overhead traveling cranes be eliminated.

A further object of our invention is the provision of an overhead traveling crane of the aforementioned character wherein the expansion joint means is incorporated in the universal joint connection between said end and its associated supporting means so that both longitudinal and rotary movement of the transversely oriented bridge structure of the overhead traveling crane and its associated supporting means may take place to accommodate all inequalities which may be encountered during the translation of the crane from one end to the other of the supporting rails.

Another object of our invention is the provision of an overhead traveling crane of the aforementioned character wherein the supporting means for the transverse bridge structure is constituted by trolley means engaging the supporting rails and sad trolley means includes load bars for supporting the opposite ends of the transversely oriented bridge structure.

Positioned between the load bars and the ends of the transversely oriented bridge structure are ball and socket joint connecting means which serve as the sole means of physical connection between the ends of the transversely oriented bridge structure and their respective supporting means.

A further object of our invention is the provision of an overhead traveling crane of the aforementioned character wherein the aforementioned load bars are, in turn,

supported from the trolley wheels of the trolley means by ball joint means which permit the pivotal and rotational movement of the trolley wheels with respect to the load bars supported thereupon.

A further object of our invention is the provision of an overhead traveling crane which is characterized by its freedom from undue maintenance expense and repairs arising out of the failure of the supporting rails or the premature wear thereof.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawings which are for the purpose of illustration only and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an overhead, underslung traveling crane constructed in accordance with the teachings of our invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the crane shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of an overhead traveling crane embodying the teachings of our invention;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view showing the universal supporting joint for one end of the transversely oriented bridge structure;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the broken line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

hoist carriage 26 is 'tained by the bridge structure and material details of the construction thereof.

-bridge struct'ure 14 can include sockets incorporated in the universal joint;

Fig.'9is atop-plan'view of another of the sockets in- 'corporated in the universal joint; and

Fig. 'lO'is a schematic viewshowing the relationship ofthe expansion joint with one'end ofthe'transversely oriented bridge in the overhead traveling crane of our invention.

Referring to the drawings and particularlyto Figs. l-3

'thereof,'we showan uliderslung overhead traveling crane '10 constructed in "accordance with the teachings of our invention 'and'suspende'd fromparallel, *laterally spaced supporting railslZ. A tfan'svers'elyoriented bridgestructure constitutes a pa'i't'of the overhead trav'lin'gcr-ane 1i) and includes transversely oriented track members "16 which are rigidly 's'ecured at their-opposite'ends toelon- "gatedend'trucks'18. *The end trucks 18jas-best shown in Figs. 1 '4 of the'drawing's, include laterally spaced'side frames 20 encompassing theTespe'ctive supporting rails 12 and joined in operative relationship 'witheach other by transversely oriented tie bars-22.

The end trucks 18* are mounted for movement onthe rails 12 by means of *supporting'means '24, which will be adverted'to in greater detailhereinbelow. Mounted on the tracks "16 is ahoist; or similar carriage'26. The

substantially rectangular in configuration and is suspendedfrom the tracks 16 by means of rollers 28, as best shown' in Figs. land 2 of the drawings, said rollers'permitting-the carriage 26' to be trans lated from one side to the other of'the crane by means of a drive motor30 connected to a driving roller 31.

Supported-upon the bed of thecarriage 26-is a. hoist motor 32 which is connected through a 'reductiongear, not shown, in a'housing 34 to a hoist 36.

The-supporting-means-M for the transversely oriented bridge structure 14 includes trolley means 38, said trolley means, as-best shown in Figs. 2-7 of the drawings, including trolley Wheels 40 engageable with the treads 42 of an associated supporting rail 12.

-In thepresently discussed embodiment of our invention, there are, of course, two end trucks provided at opposite ends of the bridge structure to which are'rigidly securedtwotrack members 16. To 'support'the transversely oriented bridge structure -14 min the supporting rails 12, there are provided four supporting means 24, one at "each'end or an "end'truck of the bridge structure 14. 'I-Iowever, it should beuuderstood that in various applications the number ofsupporting means will vary, generally in proportion to the load which must be susit is, of course, not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular number of supporting means shown or to im- This is, structure 14 since the any number of transversely oriented track members and can also include different relationships between the track members and the end trucks supporting the same.

The trolley wheels 40 are mounted upon axles 44 which are, in turn, mounte'din the oppositely disposed ends of the oppositely disposed 'c arms'46 of yokes 48, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings. Supported-from the longitudinally spaced yokes 48, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of thedrawings, is a load bar 50,

of course, also true of the bridge said-.load'bar' being constitutedby longitudinally extend- -ingside plates 52 maintained in operative relationship with each other by end plates 54 welded to,-or otherwise operatively connecting, said side plates.

A pivot pin 56 extends through oppositely disposed openings in adjacent end plates 54 and has mounted 'initsuppersurfacewith an'elongated socket 86 -flan'ges84' on theleft-hand end truck "elongated socket '86 thereupon --an elongatedmember 58 which has a spherically generated surface 6tlprovided thereupon, as best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, said spherically generated surface being supported in the bight 52 of the yoke with which it is associated. A retainer plate 64 extends transversely between the arms 46 of the yoke 43 and servestoretain the member 58in operative engagement with the bight'62 of the yoke 48. A centering hole 65 is provided-in the yoke adjacent the spherically gencrated portion 66 on the elongated member'fid.

It is manifest, therefore, that, as thetrolley means 38 traverses the tread 42 of the associated rail 12, pivotal movement about the axis of the pin 56 between the load bar'50 and the associated yokes '48 at the opposite ends thereof can occur. -In addition, sincethe load bar 58 is supported from the yokes 48 by the spherically generated surface 60 on the elongated member 58, relative rotational'movementin a horizontal plane between the opposite ends of'the load bar Stland therespective yokes 48 is permitted to take place. Moreover, relative rotational movement between the yokes 48 and the ends of the load bar 50 in a vertical plane extending through the axes of'the pivot pins 56 can also take place, thus providing'a universal actionat the opposite ends of the load bar to partially accommodate for inequalities encountered by the trolleymeans 38 during the translation of the crane 10 and, more particularly, the bridge structure 14 thereof along the supporting rails 12.

Mounted intermediate-the ends of the load bar 50, as'best shown in Figs-4, 6, and 7 of the drawings, is connecting means 66, said connecting means being constituted by a-ball and socket joint 68. The socket 70 is secured between the side plates 52 by means of bolts andnuts72 andprovides a conical socket 74 for the reception'of a ball 76.

Since there is a distinction in the type of socket provided in the right-hand end truck 18 from that provided in the left-hand end truck 18, as viewed in the drawings, the socket member'78 is the right-hand end truck 18 will be first described.

The'socket memb'er78 provides a conical socket and is secured by means of bolts and nuts- 82 between flanges '84 secured to the underside of the side frames 20. Therefore,the ball 76resting in the socket 74 of the socket 'member 70 is engaged in the conical socket provided in the socket member 78. In this manner relativero- 'tational'movement between the supporting means 24 and the's'upported portion-of the end truck 18 is permitted to" take place, thus relieving the strainsland stresses upon the elongated,transversely oriented bridge structure 14 by mislocation of the rails 12.

The socket member 78, as best shownin Fig. 8 of the drawings, is substantially rectangular in configuration and, as best-shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, is provided of frustoconical cross section. Therefore, when the socket member 78 is installed by means of bolts and nuts 82 in the 18, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawings, it is inverted to bring the into engagement with the ball 78 resting in the frusto-conical socket 74. Therefore, in ad- 'dition' to'permitting relative rotational movement between the supporting means 24 and the end truck 18, the ball permits of longitudinal movetruck 18 and the supporting and socket joint 68 also ment between'the end ,means 24 therefor.

In other words, the ball and socket joint 68 incorporating the' inverted socket member 78 provides an expansion "joint whereby relative longitudinal movement between the constitute the sole connecting means between the end trucks 18 of the transversely oriented bridge structure 14 and the supporting means 24 therefor so that a flexibility of movement is obtained between said supporting means and the end trucks which cannot be achieved in conventional structures of the character under consideration. Furthermore, relative rotational movement between the yokes 48 of the trolley means and the endsof the load bars 50 suspended thereby is also permitted because of the provision of the elongated member 58 and, more particularly, the spherically generated surfaces there upon. Thus, both the ball and socket joints between the end trucks 18 and the supporting means 24 and the ball socket joints between the yokes 48 and the load bars 50 serve as universal joint means to permit substantial rotational movement in various planes of the component parts of the supporting means 24with respect to the elongated bridge structures 14 supported thereby.

However, it should be understood that while the ball and socket means are shown in combination, it is conceivable that only the ball and socket means between the end trucks and the supporting means might be utilized in a particular application. While the combination of the ball and socket means between the yokes and the load bars with the ball and socket means between the end trucks and the supporting means constitutes the most desirable combination, the advantages of either construction will permit them to be used independently of each other.

There is shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings a schematic representation of the relationship between the conical sockets 80 of the ball and socket joints 68 and the elongated frusto-conical sockets 86 in the left-hand end truck of the elongated, transversely oriented bridge structure 14. It is clear from this schematic representation that, as the end trucks traverse the supporting rails 12, if any substantial variation in the spacing of the rails 12 is encountered, relative longitudinal movement between the end truck 18 and the supporting means therefor will be permitted by virtue of the expansion joint constituted by the elongated socket 86 provided in the ball and socket joint in the left-hand end truck 18.

We thus provide by our invention an overhead traveling crane which is characterized particularly by permitting relative movement between the supporting means included in the same and the transversely oriented bridge mounted on said supporting means. By virtue of the construction disclosed hereinabove, undue loads imposed in conventional structures upon the transversely oriented bridge structure and the supporting rails therefor are eliminated since variations in the spacing of the supporting rails are accommodated by relative movement between the transversely oriented bridge structure and the supporting means therefor.

We claim as our invention:

1. In an overload traveling crane, the combination of: a bridge, said bridge including transversely oriented rail means secured at its opposite ends to end trucks; laterally spaced rails extending parallel to the path of movement of said bridges; trolley means engaged with said rails; and universal joint means between said trolley means and said end trucks supporting said end trucks by said trolley means, said trolley means including load bars underlying the opposite ends of said end trucks and said universal joint means including a socket on each of said load bars, a socket on the underside of each of said end trucks in opposed relationship with said load bar sockets and spherical bearing members mounted in said opposed sockets.

2. In an overhead traveling crane, the combination of: a bridge, said bridge including transversely oriented rail means secured at its opposite ends to end trucks; laterally spaced rails extending parallel to the path of movement of said bridges; trolley means engageable with said rails, said trolley means including load bars disposed below said end trucks; and universal joint means between the undersides of said end trucks and the upper sides of said load bars, said trolley means and said end trucks supporting said end trucks on said load bars, said universal joint means between the trolley means and end truck at one end of said bridge incorporating means allowing relative lateral movement between said end truck and trolley means independently of the other end truck and trolley means.

3. In an overhead traveling crane, the combination of a bridge, said bridge including transversely oriented rail means secured at its opposite ends to end trucks; laterally spaced rails extending parallel to the path of movement of said bridge; trolley means engageable with said rails; and ball joint means supporting said end trucks on said trolley means, said ball joint means supporting one of said end trucks incorporating expansion joint means which allows independent relative lateral movement between said end truck and trolley means with respect to said other end truck and trolley means.

4. In an overhead traveling crane, the combination of: a bridge structure having transverse members rigidly secured to end members; laterally spaced rails disposed adjacent said end members; trolley means supported on said rails, said trolley means including load bars underlying said end members; and ball joint connecting means between said load bars; and said end members supporting said bridge on said rails, said ball joint connecting means including opposed sockets secured to said load bars and said end members and spherical bearings in said sockets whereby said load bars may be displaced independently of one another and said end members.

5. In an overhead traveling crane, the combination of laterally spaced supporting rails; translatable supporting means engaged with said rails, said supporting means including load bars whose longitudinal axes extend parallel to said rails; ball joint connecting means operatively secured to the upper portions of said load bars, said ball joint connecting means including first sockets on said load bars and balls in said first sockets; and a transversely oriented bridge structure having its opposite ends overlying said load bars and provided with second sockets engaged with said balls in said first sockets, sockets at one end of said bridge structure being longitudinally movable relative to each other for independent lateral movement between said one end of said bridge structure and said supporting means.

6. In an overhead traveling crane, the combination of: laterally spaced supporting rails; trolley means mounted on said rails, said trolley means including load bars; ball and socket connecting means on said load bars; and a bridge having sockets in its opposite ends overlying and engaged with the ball and socket connecting means on said trolley means, said sockets at one end of said bridge being elongated whereby relative lateral movement between said one end and its associated trolley means independently of the other end of said bridge is accomplished.

7. In an overhead traveling crane, the combination of: laterally spaced supporting rails; trolley means mounted on said rails, said trolley means each including spaced trolley wheels engaging said rails and supporting a load bar therebetween; ball and socket connecting means on the upper portions of said load bars; and a bridge structure having its opposite ends superimposed upon and secured to said load bars by said ball and socket connecting means, the sockets on the trolley means supporting one end of said bridge structure being elongated whereby relative movement between said one end and said trolley means independently of its other end is accomplished.

8. In an overhead traveling crane supportable on laterally spaced rails, the combination of: movable supporting means engaging said rails, said supporting means including load bars; a transversely oriented bridge structure extending across said rails in overlying relationship with said load bars; and connecting means securing said bridge structure to said load bars, said connecting means {including-ball and socket anekp ansionjjoint between one end of 'said bridgestructureiandaissociated load bars whereby relatiye later-a1 'mo einent between" said supporting means and said one end independently of'the a other end ofsaid bridgeisaccomplished. I

9. A construction for supporting the bridge-structure of an overhead crane *between a' pair of ho riz ontaHy spaced substantially parallel supporting rails, including a load *bar and; trolley assembly carried by each ofjsaid supporting rails, comprising a member provided on said bridge structure overlyingea-oh of load bars, pairs of complementary sockets, one socket of each pair being *an upwardly directed socket formed on a 'loadi b ar, the

other socket of each pairfbeing a"- ijcpyyr 'ardly" diri fcted socket formedon the said-me r overlying such load a b e a n h P s a aid ls. 9r

ing-the connections betweensaid loadbarsand said bridge structure. 10. The construction defined-in elaiin 9 further '-characterlz'ed by at least one of said load bar" and trolley assemblies including a uniyer'saleonnection between the load bar and each 'tr'olley forming a part of such' assem- 11. The construction defined in claim'9 wherein one of the sockets ofat 'lea'stone "of said pair of sockets has a. dimension in a direction transverse to said supporting rails greater than the diameter of the said ball engaged thereby.

References Cited in the file-of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

